Beverage apparatus



BEVERAGE APPARATUS Filed Oct. 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l lmgl- 5 I 1w 3 i? v 5.5 A7. A k v INVENTORJ h liltlamlflrawn,

Patented May 26, 1942 l s rEosT rEs PATENT OFFICE BEVERAGE APPARATUS- William F. Brown, Flushing, N. Y.

7 Application October 10, 1940, Serial No. 360,570'

. a 9 Claims.

The invention here disclosed relates to apparatus for making beverages, such as coffee, tea,

cocoa, chocolate, beef and vegetable extracts and the like."

' Special objects of the invention are to provide simple and practical apparatus for making as regards this disclosure, all within the true spirit and broad scope of the invention, as hereinafter defined and claimed.

. Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one of the machines, parts appearing in section.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional'view as on' substantially the plane of line 33 of Fig.1.

Fig; 4 is a further enlarged horizontal sectional view on substantially the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 3, a 7

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged broken sectional details, which with Fig. 3 illustrate successive positions in the operation and use of the cartridge clamping head and valve mechanism.

Figs. 7 and 8 are broken sectional and plan views respectively of one 'of the cartridges holding the ground coffee or other infusion material.

The present invention is related to that disclosed in copending patent application, Ser. No. 230,915, filed September 21, 1938, in that the coffee or the other material for the beverage is packed in individual cup quantity cartridges of a size and shape to be clamped in the machine while hot boiling water and steam is forced under pressure through'th'e charge of material.

A cartridge of the preferred form, as disclosed in the patent application referred to is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, consisting. of opposed caps having imperforate telescopically joined annular side walls I0, H, perforated top and bottomwalls I2, l3, and pervious'wafer liners I6, 15, of filter paper, or the like, for retaining the powdered material [6. For the purpose of holding the flavor and keeping the material packing rings when heads 1 9, 20. The upper clamping head is shown fresh, the entire cartridge may be sealed as by dipping the same intastelessgelatin; The tele-" scopically joined caps may be 'of :metal, fiber,

"paper, or other materials. In making them of paper, it is preferable to press the. caps with slightly raised'annular beads H, at the juneture'of the perforated. top and bottom wallswith the imperforate rim portions Ill, II, to serve as the cartridge is clamped in the'machine." Figs. 3, 5 and 6; show how the cartridges are enclosed and held at the point of infusion between upper and lower cup shaped clamping as carried by a tubular plunger structure 2|, having a squared portion 22, slidingly held in a correspondingly shaped guide 23. ,The upper end of this plunger is shown provided with flexible tubing 24, connected at 25, with the boiler.

or source of hot water supply 26;

Flow of hot liquid from the boiler down through the plunger to the upper clamping head is controlled in the illustration by a rotary valve plug 2'1, journalled in the valve body 28, in the intermediate or lower portion of the plunger, said valve beingoperable by a lever handle 29.

Up and down movement of the. valved plunger head is efiected and controlled by two cam discs is shown fully raised and the valve in fully closed position.

Fig. 5 shows the earns (30, 3|) turned far enough to fully close theupper head down over' :an interposed cartridge but with the valve still closed. v 7 Fig.6 illustrates the final position in which the substantially ,circular portions of the cams are holding the top head clamped tightly down overrthe cartridge and the valve is opened to admit the fluid under pressure from the boiler to.

the cartridge.

The upper clamping head is shown as recessed or cut back at 35, to form a flat shallow circular chamber and an annular surrounding or bead IT. The perforated disc 31, secured to The substantially circular portions of the cams enables these cams to hold the cartridges clamped and sealed in the, infusion chamber du'ringopen- -ing and closing movements of the valve, thus enabling regulation of the-liquid fiow to adesired extent, for instance, for the hot liquid under pressure to be deliveredand cut offmore or less gradually. The cartridges being of less height v than the thickness ofthe carrier ring are firmly gripped without interference from the ring and the closing'movement of the plunger head is sufficient to assure positive gripping and sealing, despite variations in size of the cartridgenatural in manufacturing. a

The action may be termed a high temperature pressure extraction, since the water, in order to provide the necessary delivery pressure is above the. boiling point. Water of such temperature is the most effective for extracting the desirable qualities of such materials as coffee, tea and the like. With such pressure behind it, thefiuid, water and steam, is forced guickly through all portions of the material. The delivery passage a 3 carrier is at present preferred, it should be understood that rectilinear or other type carriers may be utilized. Also. that the action ofthecarrier may be automatic or semi-automatic instead preferred construction, it should be understood:

'of beingma'nually operable, as illustrated. Fur,-.

rated in the filling plug'at 59, in which case the a relief cook 58, may not be considerednecessary.

While the form of'cartridge illustrated is a.

that the structure may be modified, for instance, by crimping the two. shells. of the cartridge together instead of connecting them by'a telescopic joint or possibly eliminating the filter paper over the perforationsin the shells' and making these perforations small and fine enough to a hold the contained material, particularly when sealed with gelatin. or othertasteless or nonf harmful soluble'material.

maybe as large as. need be to accomplish the rapid extraction or be branched if desired, into a number of parallel passages. The extraction may be made in a succession of steps instead of ma single continuous flow, as by opening and closing the valve va number of times, with the plungerhead held closed over the cartridge as in Figs. 5 and'6. a I I Cartridges of different materialsmay be used in the same machine, enabling different drinks to be produced, as required. Thecartridges may be of different sizes and shapes; the seatsor openings in the carrier being correspondingly shaped, or if desired, adapters used which will seat in the full rigid openings and provide seats for smaller sized cartridges'disposed in such adapters. With different size openings in the carrier,- extractor stations with cartridge holding clamps of different sizes to suit, may be provided. In addition to serving for strictly beverage producing purposes,

the-apparatus may be used as a hot water gen erator, usable when so desired, for washing or sterilizing cups, or the like. i

Fora permanent installation, a number of the extractor heads may be located at different points, for instance, along a lunch counter and connected by suitably insulated piping with a single boiler; automatically controlled and'located for instance, at some convenient point under the counter.

Frequently beverages of different strength are required and this may be provided foreither by size of the cartridge, the quantity of material in the cartridge or by'provision of a hot water bypass controllable for instance, by a partial movement of the valve one way or the other, to deliver through a separate pipe leading from the valve a quantity of plain hot water into the cup or receiving vessel. The latter is readily provided by an extra port.ln the valve, opening through a separate delivery tube upon movement of the valve to a certain position. The rotary type of valve shown is readily adapted to such an extra purposeand while a rotary form of valve may generally be preferred, particularly because of the cam function combined with it, it should be understood that other forms of valves may be employed. Also that other forms of cams than the rotarytype indicated may be employed."v The cam mechanism also may be used to effect the plunger raising movement, instead of relying on the spring. While the ring form of cartridge 7 It is also possible, when thefil ter paper is used, to first coat or impregnate such paper-with the gelatin-like varnish or coating material 'before.

putting such p per in the capsules orto spray this tasteless sealing medium over the paperv in place, before filling the capsule.

no odor or taste but other materials may be used. Wax and vegetable varnish may be used in place of gelatin. The sealing material may beapplied by spraying or coating in other ways or by dipping the charged cartridge in the liquid sealing material. The cartridges may be made of paper, cardboard, fiber-or the like. At present itispreferred to use a vulcanized fiber made from. cots.

ton linters since this has all. the prerequisites of.

tastelessness and odorlessness. and has stiffness and strength to a desirable degree. While the materials .to be extracted may usually be in the granular, pulverized or some other discrete'form. in other instances, the material, such as meat or vegetable extract, chocolate and the like, maybe in the nature of a more or'less solid block and this may be perforated or otherwise made pervious or porous to the high temperature pressure flow of fluid. Instead of the completely rotary form of carrier illustrated, such carriermay be in the form of an oscillating lever having. one or more pockets for the cartridges and adapted to be swung back and forth to transport the carloading, extraction and discharge mounted on the top of said column, a carrier ring rotatably confined on the column below said boiler, said ring having openings extending therethrough, beverage cartridges? of a size and shape to fit said openings andhaving perforate. upper and lower walls and imperforate rimportions;

a perforate support for said cartridges at one point in the rotary movement ,of said carrier ring, a vertically operating tubular plunger above said perforate support and engageable over the top of a cartridge in the carrier over said perforate suDpQrt, liquid supply connections from said boiler to said tubular plunger, a rotary valve controlling fiow through said tubular plunger and may be autocam means operabieby said rotary valve to con' trolup and downmovement of said plunger.

, V 2. Beverageiniusionapparatus, comprising. in combination, a suppQrting column, a boiler momenta thejtop'otis'aid column, a carrier 1 i g .rotatably confined 'on thecolumn belo'wgsaid "boiler, saidring having openings eirtendingtherethrough,beverage cartridges ofia size and shape n to flt'said openingsfand havingperforate upper.

.a port, li'quidsupply connections from said; boiler to said tubular plunger; a rotary] valve. control- .ling'F'flOW. throug'lif'said tubular plunger, 'c'amf 1 If means bperable by, said rotary. valve to control 111 .san ldbw ve n l ai u f and wh n :carrie'd'by the column for supportingpartridges seated in "thecarrier 'openin'gs',"s aid shelf being reopen atone point to pass spent cartridges;

-5. In apparatus and lower walls and imperforate portions, a

perforate'support for said cartridges at one point in the rotary movementfiof said carrier $11 8. a

vertically "operating tubular: plunger above said periorate supportand engageablel over the top of.

cartridge inithe carrier over said perforate sup- 3,"l 3everage infusionjapparatus, comprising in fcombination; ajsupporting column, "a boilermountedbnthe topoisaidcolumn, a carrie'r ring f rotatably confined nip columnbelo'w said boilerQsaid ring'having openings extending theree g through; be'ver'a'g'e cartridges offa sizefand shape .sftoi ilt'said openings'and"havingiperforateg upper andlower walls andimpe'riorate'r'im portions, a 3 'perforatesupportffor said cartridges at one point "in' therotary m'oveinent of said carrier ring, a

'r vrecsny operating a tubular plunger 'above said perforate support a'nd engageable over th'etop 'of a cartridge in"the carrier jover said perforate i1: p rt, liquid supply connections from said boil- 'erfto 'said tubularplunger; a'rotary valve con- "trolling flow through said 'tubular plunger, cam means 'oper'ableby saidfr'otary valve to control up and down movement of said plunger, said cam 'mchanlsmjinc'luding a cam for forcing the, V plunger'downwardl'y into cartridgeengaging posi- 1 tion' and a spring forraising the plunger.

4; Beverage infusion apparatus, comprising in -combination, -a supportingfcolumn', a Eboiler mounted on the top of said column, a carrier ring 'rotatably confined on the column below saidboil er, said ring having openings extendingtherethrough, beverage cartridges of a size and shape to fitsaid openings and having perforate upper perforate supportfor said c'artrldges at one pointare;

cableabove'and having a head with a dependent fflange movable" down over said annular Well, said plunger havlngia' liquid passage'therethrough, a 1 rotatable'fvalve intersecting said passage and a "cam carried by said valve for effecting reciprocaij tionoi said plunger; 6. ,In apparatus of the character disclosed, the

combination of a carrier having an annularf wall penden't, flange *rnovable down ovensaid annular wall, saidplunger having a liquidpassage there .through, a rotatable valve intersecting said pas- 1 sage, answe s atthe opposite ends of said "valve for controllingreciprocation of saidplunger.

7 In apparatus of thefcha'racter disclosed, the a combination of a carrier having an annularwall 1 providing'a seat for a cartridge, a perforatesupport fbeneath said -annular-wall,- a plunger reciprocableaboveand 'having'a head with'a'dependent flange movabledown over;said annular wall; said plunger having .aliquid passage there- 'l through, a rotatable valveintersecting said pas-' sage, afcam carriedjby'fsa id valve for: effecting reciprocation"of -saidj-plunger, 'saidycarrier having annularg'draiiiage troughsfin the upper and lower faces'ofthesarne about said annular walland perforations oonnecting said troughs to 'enab1e members 7 including 1 a said perforate cartridge 7 8."*In app'aratus of the character! disclosed, the combinationfof opposed relatively movable hol- IOWwmBmhBIS cooperable to providea chamber for holdinganvinfusion cartridge; oneof said reciprocable tubular, plunger, a'fiuid flow controlling valve rotatably disposedin said 'plunger and cam means operable to effect reciprocation of said plunger and including 'anabutrnent and a cooperating cam connected-with said rotatable valve having a substantially concentric portion for maintaining the plunger in substantially one position throughout a predetermined angle of valve opening andclosing movement. a

9. In apparatus of the character disclosed, the

-,combination of a cartridge composed of teleand lower wallsand imperforate'rim portions, 2,

' her to receive said cartridge and including oprate support-and engageable over the top of a car-' i a Y tridge inthecarrier over saidperforate support;

liquid supply connectionsfrom said boiler to said tubular plunger a rotary ivalve controlling flow through said tubular plunger, cam meansioperable by saidrota'ry-val ve to'control up ande'down' I movement of said plungeifi-a shelf on the'column for supporting cartridges seated ;in;the carrier openings and having a cartridge discharge passage and av tray forming a basefor the column andsfextending beneath said cartridge discharge passage'and beneath the'perforate' cartridge sup providing a seat for a cartridge, a perforate supof the character disclosed, the i combination of a carrierh aving an annular wall cartridge to clamp the, telescopically engaged posed relatively movable parts forming wallsjof said passage and.cooperatively'engageable with said substantially impervious side walls of the portions'of the'same in place and to 'compelilow of liquidin said passage to be through the pervifous endiswalls ofthe cartridgeconfined there- "between, meansfoiq effecting relative movement of saidparts to'clamp said cartridge in substan- 'tially liquid tight relationship in said chamber or toJreleasesaid:cartridge for=removal from said chamber, valve means" controlling flow of fluid under pressure through said liquid delivery passage, said means for effecting relative movement of the aforesaid parts includingcam mechportbeneath said annular wall, a plunger reciproanism and meansinterconnecting, and for operating said valve ani's'm'.

. f WILLIAM F. BROWN.

providinga seat i or'a'cartridge, a'periorate supmechanism and said cam mech- 

